Coach Profile

Karen Lawrence

Former All-GSAC defender Karen Lawrence is in her second season on the coaching staff after playing 3 seasons under 7-time GSAC Coach of the Year Jason Surrell.

Lawrence was a 3-year starter for the Cougars, starting 47 of 51 games from 2006 through 2008, and she earned all-conference recognition as a 2008 senior after helping lead Azusa Pacific to the GSAC regular-season championship for the fourth straight year. She finished her career with 2 goals and 10 assists in her 3 years.

With Lawrence on the field, Azusa Pacific never lost a postseason game in regulation, and she was named the 2006 NAIA Tournament Outstanding Defensive Player after leading the Cougars to the NAIA title game with 4 playoff shutouts in 7 postseason contests. One of her 2 goals of her 2006 campaign came in the national semifinals, lifting Azusa Pacific into the NAIA championship game for the first of back-to-back title-game appearances. She missed most of the 2007 season due to injury, but returned for her 2008 senior campaign to help Azusa Pacific to 4 more postseason shutouts en route to the NAIA quarterfinals.

Lawrence transitioned to the coaching staff in 2009, and her first season as an assistant saw Azusa Pacific win its fifth straight GSAC regular-season title and reach the NAIA semifinals for the eighth time in the past 12 years.